Automobile-lift.



B. S. & E. L. BENNEB.

AULDMOBILE LIFT. APPLlcATloN man Nov. 2. 191s.

` Patented Maf@ 6 1917.;

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B. S. E. L. BENNER.

AUTOMOBILE LIFT. Arruvcmon man Nov. 2. |515.

` Patented Mal'. 6, 1917.

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BION S. BENNER, 0F MANKATO, AND ERNEST L.' BENNER, OF BEIVIIDJ I, MINNESOTA.

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Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 2, 1915. Serial No. 59,243.

To all wwm t may concern.'

Be it known that we, .Bion S. BENNER and ERNEST L. BENNER, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Mankato and Bemidji, in the counties of Blue Earth and Beltrami, State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful impro vements in Automobile-Lifts, of which the following is a specification. r v

Ihis invention is an improved machine for automatically lifting an automobile clear from the floor and thus relieve the tires from stress when the machine is in the garage or is otherwise out of use and which also keeps the wheels out of oily or grease that may be also automatically lowers the car when the` same is moved in the reverse direction.

The invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

vIn the accompanying drawings j Figure l is a side elevation of an automatically operating automobile lift constructed in accordance with our invention, showing the same in use with the wheels lifted and with the friction'plates applied to the rear wheels.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Y

Fig. 3 is a plan of the same.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the same.

In the embodiment of our invention we provide a base frame 1 which in practice may be made of angle iron or other suitable material and whichis here shown as comprising a pair of side bars2, front and rear cross bars 3 4 and intermediate cross bars 5 6. A pair of standards 7 are mounted on the bars 2 at a point substantially'midway between the front and rear ends of the base frame and near the rear ends of said bars are a pair of uprights 8, each of which has a series of adjusting openings 9 arranged vertically. The ends of the cross bar 5 project beyond the sides of the base frame and a pair of friction plates 10 which are parallel with the base frame are secured at their rear ends to the projecting ends of the cross bar 5 and their front ends are free to move vertically being arranged near the front end and at opposite sides of the base frame.

A rocker frame 11 is mounted at a point somewhat in front of its center on a pivoting rod 12, which rod is pivotallyfmounted in bearings 13 on the upper ends of the standards 7. The rocker frame provides a pair of longitudinally arranged side channel bars 13, a rear cross bar 14 which connects said channel bars and a cross bar 15 which also connects said channel bars at a suitable distance from their front ends. Each channel bar has a depression 16 in the bottom of its channel at a suitable distance from its front end. The rocker frame is mounted for piv* otal movement about a horizontal axis so that when its front end is raised its rear end is lowered, and vice versa as will be understood. A pair of travelers 17 are mounted for longitudinal movement in the channel bars and each of said travelers has a horn 18 near itsrear end and is adapted to rest with the front end in the depression of one of the channel bars. Each traveler also has a slight elevation 18a at its front end vto engage the rear side of the front aXle when the automobile is backed off the lift and cause the traveler to be returned to its initial position in one of the depressions 16.

A crank shaft 19 is mounted in bearings 20 on the bars 2 near their front ends and is provided with' a pair ofV crank arms 21 each of which is connected as at 22 to the front end of'one of the friction plates 10 and is also connected by a pitman 23 to the front portion of one of the channel bars of the rocker frame. At the rear end of the base frame are a pair` of bumpers 24 for engagement with the front wheels of an automobile when mounted on the rocker frame, the said bumpers being mounted for vertical and longitudinal adjustment and being secured at any desired adjustment by bolts 25 which are inserted in appropriately arranged openings 9 of the uprights 8. A rod 26 is arranged for longitudinal movement in a lguide yoke 27 which is attached to the lifting shaft or bar 12 and in a stanchion 28 which rises from the rear intermediate cross bar 6. A prop arm 29 has its lower end pivotally mounted as at 30 on the rear cross bar 4 and is provided at suitable distances from its upper end with stop shoulders 3l--82- A spring 33 moves the rod 2G normally forwardly with the prop arm and a trip arm 3ft extends upwardly from said rod and is arranged for adjustment at any suitable point. Normally the rocker frameis arranged with its front end lowered and its rear end raised and with its rear cross bar engaged with the stop shoulder 3l of the prop arm. l/Vhen an automobile is moved longitudinally over the lift, from the front end of the latter the axles engage with the travelers and the front wheels are gradually raised as will he understood. liVhen the trent axle engages the trip arm di, said trip arm moves the rod 26 rearwardiy against the tension of the spring thus causing the prop arm to be correspondingly moved so that the stop shoulder 3l thereof disengages ther front cross bar of the rocker frame and owing to the location of the pivot axis of the rocker frame somewhat to the front of its longitudinal center the rocker frame tilts, its rear end being lowered and engaged with the stop shoulder 32 and its front end being raised so that it comes in contact with the rear axle of the automobile, the rear wheels also'of the automobile are lifted from the ground and as the front wheels engage the bumpers theV i pitmen 23 and the cranks of the crank shaft raising the rear endsY of said friction plates as will be understood.

In practice the main or base frame is preferably provided with casters under its rear corners and a cone shaped pivot is preferably provided under the center of its front cross bar to anchor' the machine and allow itto adjust itself in the event that the auto- Y said adjusting openings.

Having thus described our invention, we claim l. An automobile lift comprising a pivotally mounted rocker framev on which an automobile is adapted to be run, a prop to normally hold the rear end ofthe rocker frame in elevated position, a trip to disengage the prop and friction elements operated by the rocker frame to normallyrengage under the rear wheelsr of the automobile when they are raised by the tilting of the rocker frame.

2. An automobile lift of the class described comprising a base frame, a rockerY frame mounted thereon for longitudinal movement in a Vertical plane, a support for the rear end of tlie'yro'clerframe with the latter when raised, tripping means for disengaging the support forthe rocker frame andv arranged for operation by an automobile runA over the frame, friction elements for application' to the under sides of the au-` Velevatedv position, a trip to disengage the prop, and means operated by the rocker frameto normally engage under the rear wheels of the automobile, when they are raised by the tilting of the rocker frame.

4i. in automobile lift comprising a pivotally mounted rocker frame on which an automobile is adapted tol berrun, travelers arranged for longitudinal movement on said rocker frame and arranged for engagement by the front automobile axle, a prop to nor mally hold the rear end of the rocker frame in' elevated position, a trip to disengage the prop, and means Operated by the rocker frame to` normally engage under the rear wheels of the automobile when theyv are raised'by the tilting of the rocker frame.

5. An automobile lift comprising a pivotally mounted rocker frame on which anV automobile is adapted to be run, a prop, spring actuated means to cause the prop to normally hold the rear end of the rocker frame in elevated position, a trip to disengage the prop, and means operated by the rocker frame to normally engage under the Y rear wheels of the automobile when theyy are raised by the tilting of the rocker frame.

In testimony whereof we afiix'our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

BION S. BENNER. v ERNEST L. BENNER.

Witnesses:

A. E. Finn, Jnssm M.' BENNER.

tiopies of this patent may be' obtained fior vefcentsieach, by' addressing the .C'onimi'ssonr of Patntsf Washington, D. G. Y' 

